Base Camp
Base Camp is a wonderful tool for communicating with both your team members and your project sponsor. This site allows you to post files relevant to your project hence making them availiable for revision by your groupmates, and review by your project sponsors. This web site also organizes communication both inside the group, and with your project sponsor. At the main page you will find a list of "Your Projects" on the right hand side of the screen. There are also four main categories of information. Different Versions Over time, Basecamp has experienced several version changes, as is typical with software. However, some of these changes have been extreme. Basecamp 3, the current version in 2017, is different enough that the application icon is title Basecamp 3, not just Basecamp. This wiki contains information which is generally applicable to all known versions, or specific to version 3, but there is also a legacy section, for information specific to versions 1 and 2, which is no longer applicable to version 3. Global vs Specific Project When you first log into Basecamp, you are logged into a global dashboard. Make sure you have entered into the specific group project before you begin work. It will not do you any good to have entered into a group project other than your own. Typically, there will be two specific groups visible. One will be the whole class group, which is useful for intergroup communication and announcements from Dr. Chuck. However, the bulk of your time will be spent in your project page. Everything relating to your specific project should be posted here, where other groups don't need to sift through it. Your client can also see this group, so it can be a useful communication portal, depending on the client's preferences. In the front page of each specific project, there are several subpages, which provide space for communication, file sharing, and scheduling. There is also a timeline detailing recent activity by the people on the page. These actions are confined to whatever project page is open. Global Dashboard The dashboard, along with containing links to specific projects, contains your personal area. If you have deadlines for completing various tasks, they will appear on your calendar, and the tasks will appear under assignments. Any activity you have done in any group is contained in "my activity". Essentially, the dashboard can provide a quick look at your personal contributions and requirements at a given moment. This feature caters to Dr. Chuck's '3 week rule'. For those of who missed Dr. Chuck speak of this it basically goes as follows: have what you and your group are going to do planned out at least 3 weeks ahead of time so that you stay on task and are all on the same page. This has been proven to work over the years, and this is why me 416 has the epic legacy of GETTING PROJECTS DONE. Using Dr. Chuck's 3 week rule in conjunction with dashboard almost assures the most efficient semester possible. Header Options On any page of Basecamp, there is a header with a few specific options. "Home" will always return to the global dashboard. "Pings" are a private chat system, for communication with a specific person that need not be seen by everyone in a group. One of the most useful entries is "Hey", which provides quick access to any new developments. If anyone in any group of which you are a member posts anything, be it a file, a comment, or even a post in the campfire, it will show up in the "Hey" menu, and you can jump there immediately. "Activity" gives a summary of activity in all projects to which you have access. Finally, there is a search bar, which provides options for search domains. Individual Project Options In an individual project page, there are 6 subpages, and a timeline. The timeline shows project specific activity. The 6 subpages provide options for scheduling, file sharing, and communication. Campfire Campfire is a semiformal group discussion forum. All members of the project can post and see posts on this, but it is a single discussion. It is useful for live discussions, or general topics, but in the case of prolonged discussion of a specific topic, such as, for instance, scheduling for a client visit, it is beneficial to use the message boards. Message Boards Message boards are smaller discussions which can be given a title. These are useful, as stated above, when there is a prolonged discussion of a given topic which will likely be referenced in the future. To-Dos Create lists and assign tasks to individual group members. This allows groups to delegate the work load, and plan your progress. Equal work loads allow for better group efficiency. Schedule The schedule can be used to put in deadlines that are visible to the entire group. Automatic Check-ins These can be used for recurring deadlines, such as if the client wants weekly updates on the design or something. Docs and Files Upload files created with any program. This allows you to access the files from any computer. This also allows for the upload of new versions of files. When Posting a revision to a file be sure to update the previous submission instead of loading a new seperate file. Also, label your files with vx, where x is the most recent version of the file. When posting a file on Base Camp, be sure to open the file to make sure it was posted correctly. Legacy Information This Section contains information which is no longer accurate for Basecamp 3. This should not be considered for classes after spring 2018. Dashboard Lets you view the recent activity and a calender of upcoming events for each of your projects. This is very helpful because it allows you to quickly see things that have recently been changed. Any new messages or files posted will be displayed on the Dashboard. Milestones Milestones should be used for any major deadlines your group may have. Milestones can also be linked to either group members who are responsible, or to To-Do list items. Time It is important to log your time because it keeps group members accountable for their share of project responsibilities. People This shows the people that are affiliated with basecamp. It includes all of the basic contact information for each person as well as a picture of the person. When you are logged into your specific project, contact information of the sponser will be shown as well. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ If you select a specific project the following tabs are made available: *Overview *Messages *Writeboards *Files Overview Lets you view the recent activity and upcoming events for the specific project. Messages Students can post messages and group members are notified via e-mail. The message page also lists the messages in chronological order. Categories can be created for organization and it is a useful way of keeping all parties updated on the details of the project. Messages work well for communicating with group members in between classes, with Dr. Chuck when he's out of the country, and your project sponsor at any time. Message boards are especially useful in that it allows for all members to see conversations that would otherwise be inaccessible through personal emails and messages. The message board also allows the creation of public and private information. Some information should be kept private, such as the day to day internal conversations, or arguments. More important information such as progress reports, specification reports, and weekly updates should be made public. Writeboards Allows you to create and collaboratively edit documents online. It also eliminates the hassle of uploading files and keeping track of older versions of the same file. When a file is changed the newest version is posted as the main version, however the older versions are also displayed below. Writeboards are also useful for diplaying project recources. A writeboard can be created to display web sites and vendors relevant to your project. Files This should not be used for document revision, that is the purpose of the Writeboards. A very important item to note is the 'Private' check box. The private checkbox should be checked when information is only to be seen by your group members and Dr. Chuck. (ex. Driving directions and group small talk shouldn’t be posted to the lead engineer).Category:ME 416 Help